First Day of Summer 2014!

Who can believe tomorrow is the first day of summer already? Well, those of you who live in California don’t see much of a difference in temperature, but where I’m from, we got 132 inches of snow this year. Yikes!

Southern California is a great place to be during the summer months. From beautiful beach days to music festivals and other great events, there is plenty to do to maintain that work-life balance.

If you’re in Redlands, make sure to check out:

The Redlands Bowl: Every Tuesday and Friday evening during the summer, the Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival draws thousands to its world-class performances (free of charge!). Since its inception in 1923, an estimated eight million people have attended an evening of entertainment under the stars at the Redlands Bowl.

Picnic in the Park:Looking to get the kids out to run around? Pack a picnic or grab food from a local restaurant and head out to one of many beautiful parks in Redlands. People rave about Caroline Park and Prospect Park!

Market Night: Although it takes place year-round, summer is an especially good time to take in Market Night. Visitors are welcomed into an inviting atmosphere complete with historic buildings, brick sidewalks, and charming shops and eclectic restaurants. Crowds are pleasantly surrounded by over 150 food, produce, and merchandise booths every Thursday night.

4th of July Celebration:Once again, the University of Redlands will host one of the largest Independence Day celebrations in the state of California. There will be music and entertainment and a spectacular fireworks show!

There are also some beautiful walking tours of historic houses and gardens, bike trails, parks, and plenty of dining options to satisfy any craving.

But that’s not all! Southern California is full of summer surprises. You can climb the mountains in San Bernardino or head down to the San Diego Zoo. And the best part? You can get around SoCal in just a few hours, so you can plan a full day no matter where you’re heading off to!

Think you’ve seen/done it all? No way! Check out this story map of Southern California favorites: my SoCal